Isaiah 41:17-43:13 This passage in Isaiah is a powerful prophetic chapter about the Messiah, Jesus, the Holy One of Israel, and what He will do for Israel. It speaks about Him healing the brokenhearted, setting free those who are in prison, holding their hand, taking them through the fire and through the river to safety. Then God tells Isaiah the reason for the protection and deliverance of His people. The Holy One of Israel says, “Since you were precious in my sight, you have been honored, and I have loved you” (Isa. 43:4).
The whole world longs to hear these words spoken by someone to them. Does it build you up and comfort you when someone calls you precious? When my mother was bedridden because of a stroke, I loved to go and visit her at the nursing home. She could only speak a few words at a time, but the words she spoke were so edifying. She always told me I was beautiful and so precious to her. I told all my friends to visit Mother if they wanted a real lift for their day. In fact, during the course of my mother’s life I do not recall any negative words she ever spoke about anyone. What a legacy she left to my two sisters and me! We have a lot to live up to. During her illness that lasted four years, she must have said that I was precious close to a thousand times.
Do you know today that you are precious in the sight of the Lord Jesus? He sees you as valuable, and He loves you. If you do not know this or feel this is true, I pray you will have eyes and ears today open to see His beauty and to hear Him say, “You are precious in My sight.”
Often at funerals ministers quote Psalm 115:16, which says “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” Some even say that God called this person home because he was needed in heaven. I always have a little shiver when I hear this because it is such a wrong interpretation of this scripture.
The word precious in Hebrew means costly. It is costly to God for a saint to die because a light has gone out on earth. A living witness who glorifies God on earth has left earth, and it is very costly to God. He does not need us in heaven, but He needs us on earth to be His witnesses. It was costly to God to have my mother leave this earth because He lost one of the most beautiful voices on earth who was able to sing solos for many and who was able to give His Word voice on earth. She was a shining light who always edified others and glorified God. Today tell your family and friends how precious they are to you while they are still with you on earth.
READ: Isaiah 41:17-43:13; Ephesians 2:1-22; Psalm 67:1-7; Proverbs 23:29-35
Bill Wiese 
Paul McGuire 
